Health & Safety (Licensed)

WASTEZERO LTD takes health and safety seriously, for our teams, for customers, and for members of the public sharing the same pavement, driveway, or site access. This policy summarises our high-level approach to health and safety management in line with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, and related UK legislation.

1. Policy Statement

It is the policy of WASTEZERO LTD to conduct all waste collection, clearance, loading, and transportation operations in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety, and welfare of all our employees, subcontractors, customers, members of the public, and any other person who may be affected by our activities.

The policy is reviewed at least annually and more frequently following any incident, legislative change, or material change to the services we offer.

2. Responsibilities

• Directors / Management: Provide safe systems of work, suitable information, instruction, training, and supervision, and ensure this policy is communicated and understood.
• Team Leaders / Collection Leads: Ensure day-to-day adherence to safe systems of work, carry out on-site risk assessments where necessary, report hazards and incidents, and stop work immediately if they consider it unsafe.
• All Workers: Take reasonable care of themselves and others, cooperate with health and safety arrangements, use PPE correctly, and report any defect, hazard, or near-miss.
• Customers: Provide accurate information about hazardous items, access risks, pets, and site conditions so the team can plan the job safely.

3. Risk Assessment

Jobs are pre-assessed for risk from the information collected at booking stage — including photos, access details, floor level, parking, and any mention of heavy items, hazardous materials, or vulnerable site conditions. Additional on-site risk assessment is carried out by the team lead before work begins and whenever conditions change, for example during weather events or when previously hidden hazards are revealed.

High-risk items — asbestos, chemicals, contaminated soil, oil, gas cylinders, pressurised containers, or unknown drums — are not handled unless a specialist disposal route is pre-agreed and the correct controls, handling, and transport provisions are in place.

4. Manual Handling

Manual handling is assessed before the job starts. Lifting aids — including sack trucks, appliance trolleys, and two-person lifts — are used for bulky or heavy items. Teams are trained in correct lifting technique and will decline to move items they judge to be unsafe without additional resource or specialist equipment. Overreaching, lifting above shoulder height, and carrying items over excessive distances are avoided by planning the loading route and staging point correctly.

5. Work at Height and Slips, Trips and Falls

Where clearance work requires working at height — for example clearing lofts, dismantling tall furniture, or loading high-sided vehicles — appropriate steps are taken including stable platforms, two-person working, and keeping access routes clear. Lofts are only entered by agreement and where access is structurally sound. The team maintains good housekeeping at all times: bagged waste is stacked safely, trailing leads are avoided, and debris likely to cause a slip or trip is swept or removed as the job progresses.

6. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Teams are provided with and expected to wear appropriate PPE for each job. This typically includes:

• Safety boots with toe caps and mid-sole protection.
• Heavy duty gloves suitable for the waste type being handled.
• High-visibility clothing for roadside loading and public highway work.
• Where required: dust masks, eye protection, and hearing protection.

PPE is inspected regularly. Damaged or worn items are replaced before the next job.

7. Waste Carrier Licensing and Environmental Compliance

WASTEZERO LTD is registered with the Environment Agency as a waste carrier, broker, and dealer — registration CBDU655124. We comply with:

• Environmental Protection Act 1990, Part II (duty of care).
• Controlled Waste (Registration of Carriers and Seizure of Vehicles) Regulations 1991.
• Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011.
• The UK Waste Hierarchy in disposal planning.

A Waste Transfer Note is produced for every job and records are retained for a minimum of three years. Fly-tipping, illegal dumping, off-loading with unlicensed operators, and the avoidance of legitimate disposal costs are prohibited and treated as a gross misconduct matter for any worker involved.

8. Vehicle and Transport Safety

Vehicles used for collection and disposal are inspected before each shift. Loads are secured against falling or shifting during transit. Drivers hold the correct licence class for the vehicle, observe hours-of-service rules, and operate with due regard for vulnerable road users, especially cyclists and pedestrians in London traffic.

9. First Aid and Incident Management

Collection vehicles carry a first-aid kit. All team leads are trained in basic first aid and incident reporting. Accidents, injuries, near-misses, and dangerous occurrences must be reported immediately and recorded in writing. Where an incident is reportable under RIDDOR, the responsible person will make the necessary notification to the HSE within the required timescales.

10. Training and Competence

All workers receive an induction covering health and safety, manual handling, PPE use, duty of care, and the contents of this policy. Refresher training is delivered at least annually. Specialist training — including for any work requiring permits or specific qualifications — is arranged before that type of work is undertaken.

11. Raising a Health or Safety Concern

If you are a customer, member of the public, or worker who wishes to raise a health or safety concern about a WasteZero London job, please contact us immediately at quotes@wastezero.co.uk or on 07349766766. All concerns are investigated. Genuine concerns raised in good faith are not treated as a disciplinary matter for workers, and customers will receive a written response within the timescales in our complaints procedure.

This policy is issued on behalf of WASTEZERO LTD. A hard copy is available on request.